HLS 22RS-467 ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 718
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES OWEN
WILDLIFE & FISHERIES: Provides relative to hunting and fishing licenses for
nonresident veterans, retired military personnel, and Purple Heart recipients
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 56:3000(G), 3001, 3002, and 3004(Section heading), (A)(2) and
3 (3), and (B)(introductory paragraph) and to enact R.S. 56:3000(F)(4) and (5), relative
4 to hunting and fishing licenses; to provide additional eligibility for resident
5 recreational license rates; to provide for the cost of a Senior/Retired Military
6 combination license; to provide for conflicts with other law; to provide for effective
7 date and conditions of enactment; and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 56:3000(G), 3001, 3002, and 3004(Section heading), (A)(2) and (3),
10and (B)(introductory paragraph) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 56:3000(F)(4)
11and (5) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 §3000. Recreational license requirements; definitions
13 * * *
14 F. In addition to a person who qualifies as a resident of Louisiana, the
15 following people qualify for resident licenses:
16 * * *
17 (4) Any person who has been awarded a Purple Heart may be issued an
18 annual hunting and fishing license at the resident rate. The applicant must provide
19 identification and proof of eligibility satisfactory to the department.
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HB NO. 718
1 (5) Any honorably discharged member of the United States Armed Forces
2 or National Guard who either enlisted for service while residing in Louisiana or was
3 discharged from service while residing in Louisiana may be issued an annual hunting
4 and fishing license at the resident rate. The applicant must provide identification and
5 proof of eligibility satisfactory to the department. In addition to any other
6 documentation accepted by the department as satisfactory proof of military service,
7 government-issued separation and discharge documentation, such as a DD-214 or
8 NGB-22, showing enlistment or discharge in the state of Louisiana shall be
9 considered satisfactory proof of eligibility under this Paragraph.
10 G. A person may qualify for a Senior/Retired Military Hunting and Fishing
11 license as follows:
12 (1) A resident who reaches age sixty prior to June 1, 2000, may obtain an
13 annual Senior license for no cost.
14 (2) A resident who reaches age sixty between June 1, 2000, and May 31,
15 2022, may obtain an annual Senior Hunting and Fishing license for the cost of five
16 dollars.
17 (3) A resident who reaches age sixty-five on or after June 1, 2027, may
18 obtain an annual Senior Hunting and Fishing license for the cost of twenty dollars.
19 (4) Upon application to the department and showing identification and proof
20 of military service satisfactory to the department, any person who is a retired
21 member of the United States Armed Forces, including the Louisiana Army National
22 Guard or the Louisiana Air National Guard, and was either born in Louisiana or is
23 a bona fide resident of Louisiana, may obtain an annual license at one-half the cost
24 of an annual resident license for the cost of twenty dollars.
25 * * *
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HB NO. 718
1 §3001. Recreational fishing licenses; fees
2 Fishing licenses:
3 (1) A. Resident licenses including bona-fide residents, active and native-born
4 retired members of the United States Armed Forces, including the Louisiana Army
5 National Guard or the Louisiana Air National Guard, and nonresident students:
6 (a) (1) Hook and line license $5.00/year
7 (allows using a pole, hook and line, without a reel and without using artificial
8 bait, dip nets, landing nets, minnow traps, crab nets, or crab lines)
9 (b) (2) Basic fishing license $17.00/year
10 (includes all legal recreational freshwater gear)
11 (c) (3) Saltwater fishing license $15.00/year
12 (includes all legal recreational saltwater gear)
13 (d) (4) Charter three-day saltwater fishing license $20.00
14 (e) (5) Charter three-day freshwater fishing license $10.00
15 (2) B. Nonresident licenses:
16 (a) (1) Basic fishing license $68.00/year
17 (includes all legal recreational freshwater gear)
18 (b) (2) Saltwater fishing license $60.00/year
19 (includes all legal recreational saltwater gear)
20 (c) (3) Five-day basic fishing $30.00
21 (includes all legal freshwater recreational gear)
22 (d) (4) Five-day saltwater fishing $30.00
23 (includes all legal saltwater recreational gear)
24 (e) (5) Charter boat three-day saltwater fishing license$20.00
25 (f) (6) Charter boat three-day freshwater fishing license$10.00
26 §3002. Recreational hunting licenses; fees
27 (1) A. Resident licenses including Louisiana residents, active and reserve
28 members of the United States Armed Forces including the National Guard, and
29 nonresident students:
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HB NO. 718
1 (a) (1) Basic hunting license $20.00/year
2 (b) (2) Deer hunting license $15.00/year
3 (includes deer tags, archery and primitive privileges)
4 (c) (3) Waterfowl license $12.00/year
5 (d) (4) Turkey license (includes tags)
6 $12.00/year
7 (e) (5) Youth hunting license $5.00/year
8 (required for hunting deer, turkey, trapping, and youth lottery hunts)
9 (2) B. Nonresident licenses:
10 (a) (1) Basic hunting license $200.00/year
11 (b) (2) Deer hunting license $100.00/year
12 (includes deer tags, archery and primitive privileges)
13 (c) (3) Waterfowl hunting license $50.00/year
14 (d) (4) Turkey hunting license (includes tags) $50.00/year
15 (e) (5) Five-day basic hunting license $65.00
16 (f) (6) Five-day deer hunting license $35.00
17 (g) (7) Five-day waterfowl hunting license $35.00
18 (h) (8) Five-day turkey hunting license $35.00
19 * * *
20 §3004. Combination licenses (includes all hunting, fishing, and WMA access
21 privileges); fees
22 A. Resident licenses including Louisiana residents, active and reserve
23 members of the United States Armed Forces including the National Guard, and
24 nonresident students:
25 * * *
26 (2) Seniors and Senior/Retired Military $20.00/year
27 (3) Disabled/Special Needs and special needs$4.00/year
28 B. Nonresident licenses:
29 * * *
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HB NO. 718
1 Section 2. If enacted on or before June 1, 2022, this Act shall become effective on
2June 1, 2022, and the provisions of this Act shall supercede any conflicting provisions of Act
3No. 356 of the 2021 Regular Session.
4 Section 3. If enacted on or after June 2, 2022, this Act shall become effective upon
5signature by the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for
6bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section
718 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved
8by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 718 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Charles Owen
Abstract: Adds Purple Heart recipients and former military service members who either
enlisted or were discharged while residing in Louisiana to those who may apply for
annual hunting and fishing licenses at the resident rate and provides a set fee for the
Senior/Retired Military combination hunting and fishing license.
Present law, effective until June 1, 2022, provides certain categories of nonresidents that
may qualify for resident license rates, which includes Purple Heart recipients. (R.S. 56:643)
Present law, effective June 1, 2022, also provides certain categories of nonresidents that may
qualify for resident license rates, but omits Purple Heart recipients. (R.S. 56:3000(F) as
enacted by Act 356 of the 2021 Regular Session)
Proposed law restores resident rate eligibility for Purple Heart recipients. Proposed
law further provides that former service members who enlisted or were discharged while
residing in the state will also be eligible for resident rates. Specifies that an applicant under
either provision of proposed law is required to prove their eligibility and provide the dept.
with identification. Further specifies that under proposed law, a DD-214 or NGB-22 is one
type of documentation that the department will accept as satisfactory proof of the appropriate
military service.
Present law, effective June 1, 2022, provides a schedule of fees for each type of recreational
fishing, hunting, and combination licence offered by the dept., and each of the categories is
divided into fees for resident licenses and fees for nonresident licenses. Specifies that each
section of law for hunting, fishing, and combination license fees includes a list of certain
nonresident categories that may qualify for resident rates. (R.S. 56:3000(F), 3001, 3002, and
3004 as enacted by Act 356 of the 2021 Regular Session)
Proposed law retains resident rate eligibility for certain categories of nonresidents only
within the license requirements and definitions section and removes the duplicative
statements provided under each of the fishing, hunting, and combination license fee
provisions to remove the potential for inconsistency.
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HB NO. 718
Present law, effective until June 1, 2022, offers an annual hunting and fishing license for
resident and native-born retired military personnel for the cost of $5. (R.S. 56:643(C))
Present law, effective June 1, 2022, offers a Senior/Retired Military hunting and fishing
license for resident and native-born retired military personnel for half the cost of an annual
resident hunting and fishing license. (R.S. 56:3000(G)(4) as enacted by Act 356 of the 2021
Regular Session)
Present law, effective June 1, 2022, also provides that the fee for a Senior/Retired Military
combination hunting and fishing license fee is $20. (R.S. 56:3004(A) as enacted by Act 356
of the 2021 Regular Session)
Proposed law retains the set fee of $20 for a Senior/Retired Military combination license and
changes the definition provision for the license by replacing "one-half the cost of an annual
resident license" with the set fee of $20, making the definition and fee provisions consistent.
Effective on June 1, 2022 if enacted on or before June 1, 2022 and supercedes any
conflicting provisions of Act No. 356 of the 2021 R.S. However, if enacted on or after June
2, 2022 effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 56:3000(G), 3001, 3002, and 3004(Section heading), (A)(2) and (3), and
(B)(introductory paragraph); Adds R.S. 56:3000(F)(4) and (5))
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